Well, sorta. After three years, Pendleton Ward is stepping back to simply be “one of the show’s writers and storyboard artists”. I adore Adventure Time, but also can empathize with him. This is a great interview about what it means to make something and how it can affect you. Reading this left me nodding my head, as I know how I’ve felt from time to time over the last couple of years. Ward’s words certainly ring true:

Dealing with people every day wears on you…

And:

To spend that extra energy and time you don’t have, to make something that’s worth making, to make it awesome, wears you out…

Lastly:

“Whatever the next thing is, I just want my brain to be happy doing it,” he says. “My state of mind is superimportant. I’m so fried, so I have to sort of work within the confines of what my brain can handle.”

He sighs and looks down at his stomach. “It’s nice to just be sleepy and make stuff,” he says. “That’s the root of what I like doing. Make stuff on my own and fall asleep.”

Charming as hell. Whatever comes next, I’m happy for this approach, and that he was able to be so open about it.